NBL set to begin in June, says Gordon

President of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA), Paulton Gordon, says plans are afoot to start the National Basketball League (NBL) in June.

The NBL, which is the country’s top basketball competition, made a return last year March after a six-year absence from the local basketball calendar, under interim president Calvin Martin.

However, the league, which was held over eight weeks, was executed without a sponsor.

Gordon told The Gleaner in an interview yesterday that his administration has secured some sponsorship to run the competition and, therefore, the league will start in a couple of months.

“We are looking at June because we have identified some resources, but we are still trying to get some additional resources to make it as wholesome as possible,” said Gordon.

“We still have some challenges identifying funds to run the league in the way we want to run the league, but we are committed and we want to make sure it happens, but we have confirmed some resources and we are on the hunt for some additional resources,” he said.

Gordon added it is going to cost his administration $8-$10 million to run the league effectively, but that they are very grateful for the funds that they have received so far.

“Right now, we are trying to track four million dollars to run the league,” said Gordon, who took over as head of JaBA in March after defeating Major Clifton Lumsden at the association’s annual general meeting.

“It is a little bit slow in getting the funds because of the various things that have been happening across the sporting landscape this time around. The Reggae Girlz qualifying for the World Cup and other things going on with other sporting disciplines, but we are pretty confident that we will be able to run a decent league,” he said.

Gordon noted that 26 teams are down to participate in this year’s competition, which is scheduled to run for three and half months.